PA - Assassination attempt, shooting injures former POTUS Donald Trump, leaves 1 spectator deceased two in critical condition, 13 July 2024 #2

[Sarahlou]

Astounding the excuses folks come up with to justify attempted murder.

Again, who said it was an excuse? It's a known fact that that has been a reason why some school killers have killed people before. Bullying. Nobody has said it's right or something anybody should do.

 

[NuttMegg]

How does the Director of Secret Service remain in position, after all that has been revealed? We know so much, and yet not everything. " The buck stops here" indeed. Outrageous neglect and deadly outcomes. Epic failure.
I am stunned.

Imo there were swaths of responsibility. Ie local police in charge of outlying areas, ss in charge of inner areas. As I said earlier, I believe the organizers of the political rally had the responsibility to protect their candidate with bullet proof panels, sides and back. Instead of having a 360 deg exposure to harm, trump wwould have been exposed only from the front. Some of those assault rifles have effective range of 350+ m, an assailant could be anywhere, several properties away. But my point is that it's not just the taxpayers' responsibility to pay for protection of candidates at wide open political events.

 

[Charlot123]

a psychotic break could have started it weeks ago, however I do not think he is the regular age for such a break that would be more late 20's I think. I do think a mental illness undiagnosed could be a catalyst.

I think it is some genetic condition; in five years, we’ll know more about them. But, at the time of murders, “depressed and hopeless.” It is interesting that a person described as kind by those who knew him decided to kill others first, but that could be a spontaneous decision. Planning suicide by cops, for example, and here is an event that fits to an T; ended up being killed by the SS.

 

[Elley Mae]

How does the Director of Secret Service remain in position, after all that has been revealed? We know so much, and yet not everything. " The buck stops here" indeed. Outrageous neglect and deadly outcomes. Epic failure.
I am stunned.

She shouldn’t jmo she worked for biden when he was vp.
…

“Jill and I know firsthand Kim’s commitment to her job and to the Secret Service’s people and mission. When Kim served on my security detail when I was Vice President, we came to trust her judgment and counsel,” Biden wrote in the statement. “She is a distinguished law enforcement professional with exceptional leadership skills, and was easily the best choice to lead the agency at a critical moment for the Secret Service. She has my complete trust, and I look forward to working with her.”

https://www.cnn.com/2022/08/24/politics/kim-cheatle-secret-service/index.html

 

[Inthedetails]

Again, who said it was an excuse? It's a known fact that that has been a reason why some school killers have killed people before. Bullying. Nobody has said it's right or something anybody should do.

Right. I'd like to assume everyone here on WS understands discussions are not excuses and nobody here justifies any violence. Brainstorming ideas and theories is NOT looking for justification.

jmo

 

[Missing Susan]

How does the Director of Secret Service remain in position, after all that has been revealed? We know so much, and yet not everything. " The buck stops here" indeed. Outrageous neglect and deadly outcomes. Epic failure.
I am stunned.

So far, nobody takes responsibility, resigns or is fired. Director reports to Myorkas and potus only, correct?

Secret Service Director Kim Cheatle landed job after push by Jill Biden’s office, sources say

Embattled Secret Service director Kimberly Cheatle, who is facing congressional outcry and calls to resign over security lapses leading to former President Donald Trump’s near-assassination S…

nypost.com

 

[shotgun09]

So far, nobody takes responsibility, resigns or is fired. Director reports to Myorkas and potus only, correct?

Secret Service Director Kim Cheatle landed job after push by Jill Biden’s office, sources say

Embattled Secret Service director Kimberly Cheatle, who is facing congressional outcry and calls to resign over security lapses leading to former President Donald Trump’s near-assassination S…

nypost.com

Indeed she does.

 

[Inthedetails]

Jack Black did not say it. Kyle Gass did, and Jack Black canceled the tour because of it

Jack Black ends Tenacious D tour after bandmate's Trump shooting comment

The comedy rock duo Tenacious D has cancelled the rest of their tour after band member Kyle Gass' remarks on the assassination attempt on Donald Trump.

apnews.com

And the guy who made the remark apologized.

‘Blindsided’ Jack Black addresses Tenacious D bandmate’s ‘shameful’ comment about Trump assassination attempt — cancels tour

One Australian politician called for Tenacious D to be deported after the controversial comment was made at a concert in Sydney.

nypost.com

 

[x_files]

Earlier we read no ladder was involved, and now CNN is reporting he purchased one at HD that morning…

CNN —
In the 48 hours before he opened fire on former President Donald Trump, 20-year-old Thomas Matthew Crooks made a series of stops in and around his suburban Pittsburgh hometown.

On Friday, he went to a shooting range where he was a member, and practiced firing, a law enforcement official told CNN. The next morning, Crooks went to a Home Depot, where he bought a five-foot ladder, and a gun store, where he purchased 50 rounds of ammunition, the official said.

https://www.cnn.com/2024/07/15/us/thomas-crooks-trump-rally-shooting-invs/index.html

Most people probably assumed he worked there if he had a ladder in tow. Brazen.

 

[JerseyWasHome2]

I don't know why he wore a mask and it could very well be he was sick and/or he was concerned about someone in his family getting sick.

But, if we set that aside, it is curious why he would continue wearing a mask after they were required. Was it a quiet way of being defiant? Did he like behaving in ways that the people around him didn't like? Did he wear the mask as it put some distance between himself and others, sort of an excuse to be quiet?

The mask is an odd detail, imo, and I've always thought the most interesting bits of any situation or story are in the details.

jmo

That is an interesting question. We can all probably think of different circumstances. I know someone who is still extremely worried about getting Covid, and they get as many items delivered as possible, but when they do have to venture out they still wear one of the N95 masks. This is in part of the country where people probably didn't even wear masks during the height of Covid. My friend has actually seen rude signs that say things like "Wearing a mask? We don't want your business." So yes, there could be some sort of defiance going on, or a statement being made.

 

[fred&edna]

I don’t think he had any help at all. He’d need multiple people from multiple organizations in on it.

People risking their careers for a strange guy who couldn’t shoot straight.

It’s all explained by poor planning, a lack of resources, and staggering incompetence.

I tend to agree.

 

[MassGuy]

Sniper took picture of Trump rally shooter, saw him use rangefinder before assassination attempt, source says

The sniper radioed to a command post, according to a local law enforcement officer.

www.cbsnews.com

-One sniper inside spotted the gunman, Thomas Matthew Crooks, outside and looking up at the roof, observing the building and disappearing, according to the officer who spoke to CBS News. The sniper observed Crooks as he returned to the building, sat down and looked at his phone. At that point, one of the local snipers took a picture of Crooks.

Next, the local sniper observed Crooks looking through a rangefinder, an instrument routinely used by marksmen to determine the distance of a target, and he immediately radioed to the command post, according to the local law enforcement officer. The local sniper also attempted to send the photo of the gunman up the chain of command.

The command post, according to multiple law enforcement officials, served as a central hub to streamline communications between U.S. Secret Service and the local officers from nearby state and county police forces. It is unclear if the command post received the alert.

Officials then lost track of Crooks, who disappeared, but soon returned for a third time with a backpack. The local sniper team called for backup — alerting the command post that the gunman had a backpack and was walking toward the back of the building.

By the time other local officers responded to the backup request, the gunman had scaled the building, positioning himself above and behind the local snipers inside the building, according to the officer.

Two other municipal police officers who heard the call for back-up attempted to climb onto the roof. Butler County Sheriff Michael Sloupe told CBS Pittsburgh station KDKA that an armed municipal officer with Butler Township was hoisted by another officer onto the roof of the building where the gunman had taken a position. Crooks focused his rifle towards the officer who ultimately let go, falling off the roof. Moments later, the shooter began firing into the crowd.

 

[NuttMegg]

That is an interesting question. However, we can all probably think of different circumstances. I know someone who is still extremely worried about getting Covid, and they get as many items delivered as possible, but when they do have to venture out they still wear one of the N95 masks. This is in part of the country where people probably didn't even wear masks during the height of Covid. My friend has actually seen rude signs that say things like "Wearing a mask? We don't want your business." So yes, there could be some sort of defiance going on, or a statement being made.

That's incredible. The part about signs that say they don't want business from ppl wearing masks. Sad.

 

[Bounceycat]

It was $15 and doesn't mean anything. But the app has been around around since 2004. It's an app that streamlines donations. He used AB to donate to a particular group. However $15 is nothing. He likely saw an ad online and it interested him on that day and clicked on it. No different than donating $15 for whatever....

https://www.cnn.com/2024/07/14/us/trump-rally-gunman-thomas-crooks-invs/index.html

Federal Election Commission records show that a donor listed as Thomas Crooks with the gunman’s street address gave $15 to Progressive Turnout Project, a Democratic-aligned political action committee, on Inauguration Day in January 2021, when Crooks was 17.

A spokesperson for Progressive Turnout Project said in an email that the group had received the donation “in response to an email about tuning into the inauguration” and that “the email address associated with the contribution only made the one contribution and was unsubscribed from our lists 2 years ago.”

....

Later that year, a week after turning 18, Crooks registered to vote as a Republican, according to a listing in Pennsylvania’s voter database that matched his name, age and address. Crooks only cast a ballot once, in the 2022 midterm general election, an Allegheny County spokesperson told CNN.

BBM

 

[Chimera]

So far, nobody takes responsibility, resigns or is fired. Director reports to Myorkas and potus only, correct?

Secret Service Director Kim Cheatle landed job after push by Jill Biden’s office, sources say

Embattled Secret Service director Kimberly Cheatle, who is facing congressional outcry and calls to resign over security lapses leading to former President Donald Trump’s near-assassination S…

nypost.com

Thanks for this link, @Missing Susan !

I find some of the comments below intriguing.
Omo.

 

[Friday Fan]

A thought I had was his failure to make the rifle team in school.

..

Myers told ABC News Crooks had tried to join their high school's rifle team, but was rejected and told not to try out again.

"He didn't just not make the team, he was asked not to come back because how bad of a shot he was, it was considered like, dangerous," Myers said.

A classmate of the Trump shooter says the gunman was such a bad shot he got rejected from their high school rifle team

"He was asked not to come back because how bad of a shot he was, it was considered like, dangerous," the classmate told ABC News.

www.businessinsider.com

I think that may have been a triggering event. I'm sure there were others, but to me that stands out.

I think he may have been into a few games?

There is a chance he never said anything online that could provide a window to his plan. Not everyone expresses their thoughts online.

Of course, the FBI does need to do a thorough investigation. Most importantly, they need to determine if there are any connections to others or groups etc. They're investigating it as domestic terrorism. (Maybe the explosives allowed them to do this?)

If they find out that he doesn't have connections to groups or other people (which seems to be the case) they determine that he acted alone.

The public is curious about motivation. The FBI's goal is to prevent future events.
He may have never expressed his motivations online.

MOO

ETA: So many of these shooters are under 21. Their brains are still going through the maturation process.

 

[Chimera]

https://www.cnn.com/2024/07/14/us/trump-rally-gunman-thomas-crooks-invs/index.html

Federal Election Commission records show that a donor listed as Thomas Crooks with the gunman’s street address gave $15 to Progressive Turnout Project, a Democratic-aligned political action committee, on Inauguration Day in January 2021, when Crooks was 17.

A spokesperson for Progressive Turnout Project said in an email that the group had received the donation “in response to an email about tuning into the inauguration” and that “the email address associated with the contribution only made the one contribution and was unsubscribed from our lists 2 years ago.”

....

Later that year, a week after turning 18, Crooks registered to vote as a Republican, according to a listing in Pennsylvania’s voter database that matched his name, age and address. Crooks only cast a ballot once, in the 2022 midterm general election, an Allegheny County spokesperson told CNN.

BBM

Thanks for the link.

Nothing that stands out, really.

Wonder if it was suicide by cop-type scenario ?
Omo.

 

[sds71]

Secret Service ramped up security after receiving intel of Iranian plot to assassinate Trump; no known connection to shooting:​

US authorities obtained intelligence from a human source in recent weeks on a plot by Iran to try to assassinate Donald Trump, a development that led to the Secret Service increasing security around the former president in recent weeks, multiple people briefed on the matter told CNN.

There’s no indication that Thomas Matthew Crooks, the would-be assassin who attempted to kill the former president on Saturday, was connected to the plot, the sources said.

The existence of the intelligence threat from a hostile foreign intelligence agency — and the enhanced security for Trump — raises new questions about the security lapses at the Saturday rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, and how a 20-year-old man managed to access a nearby rooftop to fire shots that injured the former president.


It’s not clear whether the specifics of the Iran threat were shared with the Trump campaign, which said in a statement: “We do not comment on President Trump’s security detail. All questions should be directed to The United States Secret Service.”

The Secret Service recently “added protective resources and capabilities to the former President’s security detail,” agency spokesperson Anthony Guglielmi said in a statement on Sunday.

Secret Service officials have warned the Trump campaign repeatedly against holding outdoor rallies, which pose greater risks than events to which the agency can better control access, people briefed on the matter said. The warnings have been more general in nature, the sources said.

At one point during this election cycle, the campaign stopped holding spontaneous off-the-record events where guests weren’t swept by Secret Service beforehand due to security concerns, a source familiar with the matter told CNN.

https://www.cnn.com/2024/07/16/politics/iran-plot-assassinate-trump-secret-service/index.html

 

[Auntie Cipation]

ABC News now:

The staging area was inside the building the shooter climbed on.

My first thought after learning this, honestly, was an image of the Keystone Kops running in circles.

I wonder if any LE inside the building heard "weird thumps" coming from the roof?

And truly, if that building was the LE staging area, with the assumed collection of firearms and communications devices, why in the WORLD wouldn't they draw their security perimeter to include it?!?!

MOO

 

[Elley Mae]

US authorities obtained intelligence from a human source in recent weeks on a plot by Iran to try to assassinate Donald Trump, a development that led to the Secret Service increasing security around the former president in recent weeks, multiple people briefed on the matter told CNN.

There’s no indication that Thomas Matthew Crooks, the would-be assassin who attempted to kill the former president on Saturday, was connected to the plot, the sources said.

The existence of the intelligence threat from a hostile foreign intelligence agency — and the enhanced security for Trump — raises new questions about the security lapses at the Saturday rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, and how a 20-year-old man managed to access a nearby rooftop to fire shots that injured the former president.


It’s not clear whether the specifics of the Iran threat were shared with the Trump campaign, which said in a statement: “We do not comment on President Trump’s security detail. All questions should be directed to The United States Secret Service.”

The Secret Service recently “added protective resources and capabilities to the former President’s security detail,” agency spokesperson Anthony Guglielmi said in a statement on Sunday.

https://www.cnn.com/2024/07/16/politics/iran-plot-assassinate-trump-secret-service/index.html

They had to.

The Secret Service is legally required to protect major party presidential and vice presidential candidates and their families 120 days out from a general election, but third-party candidates are treated on an as-needed basis. Kennedy, who has paid millions for private security, said the cost limited his ability to campaign.

Biden orders Secret Service to protect RFK Jr. after attempt on Trump's life

President Joe Biden has ordered the U.S. Secret Service to protect independent presidential candidate Robert F.

apnews.com